Electric cooker



May 14, 1935. w. c. REHM 2,001,285

ELECTRIC COOKER Filed May 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Mam A TTORNEYJ y 1935- w. c. REHM 2,001,285

ELECTRIC COOKER Filed May 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A TTORNE YJ Patented May 14, 1935- UNITED STATES ELECTRIC 000m William C. Rehm, Merlden, Com, asslgnor to 'Manning, Bowman & 00.,

corporation of Delaware Merlden, Oonm, a

' Application May 5,1934, Serial No. man

' 11 Claims. (01. sis-as) This invention relates to electric cookers.

One object of theinvention is a novel electric cooker which may serve either as a conventional electric grill or asa baking oven and which may I be readily converted from one type ofcooker to the other type of cooker with marked facility.

A further object of the invention is a cooking unit of the character indicated comprising a readiLv insertable and removable oven part which 10 when in operative position cooperatively functions with the other parts of the unit to form an electric oven which is capable of accommodating conventional easily obtainable small baking pans of various shapes and which is further characterized by its compactness, by its simplicity in construction and by the economy and efliciency of its heating and cooking operations. I

A further object of the invention is a cooking unit of the character indicated comprising an an oven part which is readily insertable between and removable from a pair of adiustably hinged heating plates, with the provision of both angular and spacial adjustments, and with the wallsof the oven and the heating plates angularly so as disposed with respect to each other'as to eillciently direct the heat from the heating plates tothe articles being cooked.

A further object of the invention is a cooker of the character indicated comprising an oven eleso ment of novel, simple and inexpensive construction.

For other obiects'of the invention and a better understanding thereof reference may be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application wherein:

Fig. iisanendviewpartlyinsectionofacooker embodying the invention;

Pig. 2 is a perspective view of the oven element thereof; 7

Fig. 8 is a sectional view alongthe line H of Fi 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modiiied'oven D r F Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a further slightly modified oven part; I s 4 Fig.6isanendview of amodiiiedformof cooker;

Fig. 7 is an end view of a further modification; and

Fig. 8isadetail viewof apartofFigJl.

Referring to Figs. 1, Mind 3 I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a cooker comprising an electrically heated plate I mounted in a frame 2 having feet 3 for resting on a table or other holding surface, a second electrically heated plate4disposedatanacuteangletotheplate l, preferably approximately 45 degrees, and carried by a frame 5, and an oven element 6 resting upon the plate I and supporting the plate 4 in the angular position shown. The oven element 6 5 comprises parallel and similarly shaped end walls I and non-parallel but rectangular shaped front and back walls 0 and I. The front wall I is substantially larger or higher than the back wall 9, and the end walls I are irregularly shaped to cor- 10 respond to the front and back walls, thus forming planar perimeters about the two open sides of the oven element with the planes thereof disposed at an acute angle to each other. The oven element 0 thus has an open side adjacent the heating plate i and another open side adjacent the heating plate 4 with'the front wall 4 disposed at an acute angle to both the plates i and 4, while the rear side wall I forms an obtuse angle with the plate I and substantially a right angle or 2 0 slightly greater than a right angle with the plate 4 and the end walls 1 form substantially right angles with the plates. In the particular embodiment shown the side wall I occupies approximately a 45 degree angle with respect tothe plates I and 4. The heating plate I 18 provided with a border shoulder I and the heating plate 4 is provided with a border shoulder 49 thereby forming pan or dish effects, and asindicated in the drawings and in the preferred construction the bottom edges of the walls I, I and] form an opening co-extensive with the plate I, while the upper edges of these walls form an opening coextensive with'the plate 4, the element 4 resting upon the plate I and forming a closure therewith and the frame I resting by gravity upon the element 4 with the plate 4 exposed to the opening therein. The inside edges of the shoulders I' and 4' form means for retaining the parts in assembled relation, the oven element engaging 40 said shoulders and holding itself in position on the plate land retaining the other plate 4 in operaiive position. The heating plates l and 4 carried respectively by theframe parts 2 and B are hingedly and adiustably fastened together to form one part ofthe cooking element,'both pivotal and spacial adjustments being provided. For this purpose the frame ,2 is provided with a pair of rearwardly extending brackets ll having disposed atright angles thereto lugs or ears I4.

The lugs l4 are provided with elongated slots I! also I disposed, in the particular embodiment shown, at right angles to the brackets II and the heating plate I. Theframepart I carrying the' heating plate 41s provided with a pair of rearwardly extending extensions or lugs I 6, these also being disposed adjacent the ends of the frame 5 which extensions or lugs are also provided with right angular portions I8, these angularly disposed portions I6 carrying retaining elements I! projecting through and adapted to traverse the slots I5 formed in the members I4. In the particular embodiment shown these retaining elements II are screws which are screw-threadedly attached to the members or cars IS with their heads forming stops on one side to limit the lateral relative movement of the frame parts 2 and 5. The lugs I4 are provided with notches I8 for the reception of retaining pins I9 carried by the end walls of the frame part 5; by this means the frame part 5 with the heating plate 4 may be supported independently of and out of contact with the oven element 6, the part 5 resting by gravity upon the lugs I4. The hinge adjustment thus provides for both angular and spacial adjustments of the heating plates I and 4 whereby the frame 5 with its plate 4 may be supported by gravity upon and accurately fitted to the oven element 6 independently of the hinge and regardless of the height of or inaccuracies in the oven element within the range of adjustment provided by the pin slot Il', I5. If desired, adiustment may be provided also at an angle to the slot I5, but ordinarily the arrangement shown gives sufficient flexibility. The angular relation of the plates I and 5 and the principal side walls (I and 8) of the element 5 helps materially in radiating reflecting and directing the heat from the aluminum grids toward the article or articles being warmed, baked or cooked with maximum temperature attained because of the minimum cubical content or volume and with best economy and efficiency.

The oven element 8 is adapted to contain the cooking or baking pans (omitted for convenience in illustration), these pans being of various shapes obtainable on the market, as for example pans for baking biscuits, muffins, apples, potatoes, small cakes, meat loaves, and the like. Preferably the bottoms of such pans should be supported from out of actual contact with the plate I. This may be effected in a number of ways. For example, the pans or cooking utensils themselves may be provided with legs to raise the bottoms from out of contact with the heating surface I or as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the oven element 6 may be provided with wires or a frame built inside to form a part thereof, as for example the wires II! which extend lengthwise of the element and are supported in apertures in the end walls I. These wires or rods I0 may be simply inserted in these openings and then peaned over at their ends to hold them in place. The pan or utensil may simply rest upon these wires or rods I0 which are disposed, as indicated, adjacent the heating plate I.

In Fig. 4 a modified arrangement of support for the pans is shown according to which a separate open frame or grill II is simply positioned upon the heating plate I inside the oven element 6 for supporting the cooking pans or utensils away from contact with the bottom cooking surface.

In Fig. 5 a further modified means of pan support is shown comprising lugs or ears I2 riveted to the end walls I of the element 6, theselugs or ears being adapted to support a grill or cooking pan from out of contact with the heating plate I.

The frame part 2 may be provided with any suitable handle means, as for example a pair of handles 20 fastened in any suitable manner to the ends thereof. The frame part 5 is provided with a suitable handle 2I for lifting the same to any of its several positions. I have indicated at 22 an electrical plug for supplying power to the device and at 23 a flexible connection between the relatively adjustable frame parts 2 and 5 for assuring the supply of current thereto regardless of the relative positions thereof. For convenience in illustration I have omitted any outlet or drain for drippings which may be contained upon or fall upon the heating plate I, but where desired such outlet or drain is provided.

In operation the cooking pan, grid or other cooking utensil is inserted within the oven 6 down upon or adjacent to the heating plate I with the article to be warmed or cooked therein. This may be readily done by moving the part 5 about the lugs I4, I6 as a hinge and away from the oven element 6, as for example into the dash and dot line position indicated in Fig. 1. After the insertion of the cooking utensil with the article to be warmed or cooked therein the part 5 may be adjusted back into the full line position indicated in Fig. l where it rests upon the open side of the oven element 6 and is firmly held there by gravity and by the engagement with the shoulder 4. By turning on the power for the required time the article may be readily cooked. The particular angular relation of the heating plates I and 4 with respect to each other and with respect to the walls I, 8 and 9 of the oven element as shown in Fig. 1 is of particular advantage from the standpoint of economy and efliciency in the heating and cooking operation in that the particular angular position shown assists materially in re.- diating and deflecting the heat from the heating plates (aluminum grids) I and 4 toward the article or articles of food being warmed, baked or cooked. The oven is adapted also to contain the conventional easily obtainable small cooking and baking pans or grills of various shapes and the angular position shown results in the maximum temperature for minimum cubical content or vol ume with a given consumption of power. Another advantage is that when it is desired the oven element may be removed and the remainder of the cooker used as a conventional grill or cooker. For this purpose the part 5 may be turned over to the dash dot line position indicated in Fig. 1 or through 180 from the frame part 2 to form a double grill or frying pan, both open at the top, or the frame part 5 may be turned to a position superposed above the part 2 to form both upper and lower heat radiating surfaces for cocking the various articles of food for which such conventional use is adapted. The hinge pin slot arrangement I5, I! between the frame parts 2 and 5 affords a limited range of spacing of the heating plates I and 4 for superposed cooking operations. By the use of my cooker, therefore, I may in addition to the oven cooking and baking operations outlined above effect the cooking operations of the conventional cooker, and all of these cooking operations are possible notwithstanding the simplicity and compactness of the small unit.

In the particular embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5 the oven'element 6 is indicated as made of sheet metal, the walls 1 and 8 being made of one piece and the wall 9 of another piece, the two piecesbeing formed as indicated and fas tened together by rivets as indicated at 25. It may be made of steel, brass, copper, aluminum, etc. It may or may not be lined with insulation my be desired. 1 have shown the oven eleprovided for clamp having a fork 82 for receiving the stud 2!.

frame I still rests by gravity upon the oven eiement 0, ,the latter engaging the shoulder l at but the clamping means avoids accidentalbackwardtiltingoi'theiramel. Thehinge; slot adiustment for inaccuracies in ma'nuiactureand moreover provides a considerable range of adjustment tor diiierent heights or oven element as described above.

claim:

eat as being of rigid construction but it may of said oven element to come 1 ders.

claim wherein the heating the oven element having the one edge to each other for both angular and spacial adjustments and which house said oven element with one of the heating plates 8 888 118 the peripheral edges of one of the open sides of the oven element and the other 01' said heating plates engaging the peripheral-edges oi the other open side of the oven element and means whereby the plates and the oven element are retained in closed heating relation.

ll. An electric cooker comprising a pair claimlwhereintheheatingplatuaresurrounded by shoulders and the adjustable meansl mlttheedgesottheexposure withinsaidshoulillnaoookerotthecharacter ot-heat-' oven element housed within the space between claimlwhereintheovenelementrestsbygravity ment forms a plane deflecting surface at approximately to the plates.

prisesmeanstorsupportingapanorothereookingutensiloutoicontactwiththelowerheating 11. In a cooker of the claim 10 wherein the bee substantially at right angles the oven element having the sides similarly angularly disposed.

12.1nacookerotthecharacter substantially at a right angle adaptedtebehomedwithinandinsertedbetween twosimllary angularly heating plates 6! an electric heater with the walls thereof reflecting the heat from the plates to the article being cooked.

14. In an electric cooker of the character set forth in claim 2 wherein the heating plates are hinged together for adjustment through a range of 180 with the hinge comprising means whereby the hinged edges of the plates may be adjusted to different distances from each other.

15. In a cooker of the character set forth in claim 2 wherein the oven element embodies cross supporting rods adjacent the peripheral edge 01 the lower opening for supporting a cooking utensil edge of an opening of the oven and resting upon 0 the lower of said heating plates.

WILLIAM c. REHM. 

